Tottenham Face Real Relegation Threat After Derby Rout

Four points. That’s the gap between Tottenham Hotspur and the Premier League drop zone after Sunday’s 4-1 demolition by Arsenal – a result that left Spurs 16th in the table with zero league wins in 2026. Nine matches played since New Year’s Day: four draws, five defeats. No other club in the top flight has failed to win a single game this calendar year.

Igor Tudor’s first match as interim boss couldn’t have gone much worse. He became the first Spurs manager to lose his opening Premier League fixture since André Villas-Boas in August 2012, per Opta. The nine managers between them – including caretakers – all went unbeaten in their debuts.

How Did a Champions League Club End Up Here?

The rot didn’t start on Sunday. Tottenham finished 17th last season under Ange Postecoglou, saved from the drop only because the three relegated clubs were so poor. The Europa League trophy papered over that crack. But cracks don’t fix themselves.

Son Heung-min left for LAFC last summer. Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison – the team’s two best creators – have missed most of the season through injury. Cristian Romero was suspended for the derby. Ten senior players sat out Sunday’s match through injury, leaving Tudor with just 13 fit first-team options.

Thomas Frank lasted until February 11, sacked after managing a 1.12 points-per-game record – the worst of any Spurs manager in the Premier League era. Tudor was brought in three days later as a short-term fix. His track record at Marseille and Lazio suggests he can organize a defence quickly. But Sunday’s numbers told a different story: six shots, 0.74 expected goals, and 40% possession against an Arsenal side that looked a division above.

Looking to follow the Premier League action and make it even more exciting? Our team has found top-rated betting platforms with the biggest welcome bonuses – explore your options and get in the game:

The Numbers That Should Worry Every Spurs Fan

The data paints a bleak picture. Tottenham have taken just four points from a possible 27 in the league since January 1 – the worst record in the division by some distance. West Ham, sitting in 18th four points below Spurs, have actually gained seven points on Tottenham in that same stretch.

Across both derby meetings this season, Spurs managed a combined nine shots against Arsenal. For context, that’s fewer than any club has recorded against a single opponent in an entire Premier League campaign since Opta began tracking in 2003-04.

📊 Key Stat: 0 wins in 9 Premier League matches in 2026 – Tottenham are the only club in the division without a league victory this calendar year. (Source: Premier League)

A sponsor has already walked away. The Telegraph reported last week that an unnamed commercial partner is ending a deal worth tens of millions of pounds, citing dissatisfaction with domestic results regardless of Champions League involvement. The financial stakes of relegation are enormous – Spurs earned £127.8 million in broadcast revenue last season even while finishing 17th.

“It was a complete mismatch. If Tottenham aren’t careful, they might be in a different league.” – Jamie Redknapp, Sky Sports

Tudor Says He’s “100% Confident” – But Is He Right?

Not everyone’s writing the obituary yet. Tudor himself insisted after the derby that relegation won’t happen. His players, he said, are “good players with bad habits” who need a “mental switch.” He’s probably right about the talent – Spurs still have Vicario, Van de Ven, Bissouma, and Xavi Simons in the squad. On paper, that’s not a relegation-level roster.

Gary Neville offered a measured take on Sky Sports, predicting Spurs will scrape clear but calling it the “shock of the century” if they don’t. The Champions League – where Spurs have advanced to the knockout rounds – proves the squad can compete when focused. The question is whether a team built for European nights can grind out the ugly wins that survival demands.

Troy Deeney was less diplomatic. The former Watford striker called Tottenham an “unserious club” on talkSPORT and warned that “luxury players” won’t save them in a dogfight.

The Fixtures That Will Decide Everything

Spurs travel to Fulham on March 1, then face Crystal Palace at home before trips to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – three clubs currently around or below them in the table. Win two of those four, and the picture changes fast. Lose them, and 40 points – the likely safety line in a season this tight – starts looking unreachable from 29.

Eleven matches remain. The maths is cold: Spurs need roughly 11 more points to hit 40. That means winning at least three games and drawing a couple. For a team that hasn’t won since December, that’s a tall order – even with Tudor’s defensive pedigree.